5 Seasons North Crouching Tiger Hidden Poulet Saison

Brewed by 5 Seasons North
Style: Saison
Alpharetta, Georgia USA

Appearance: Pours a clear, copper body with a tall, though thinning, white head. Smell: Pale and wheat maltiness done up right with crisped sugars and spice and maybe a bit of lavender. Infused with a few added drops of orange citrus oils. Distant note of red wine, like someone dropped a bottle in the next room. Taste: Soft malted wheat sweetened with citrus-flavored candy and vanilla-lavender ice cream. Dash of spice. Slight pear fruitiness. A puckering red wine component jumps in and out of the flavor. Finishes creamy, warming, and rather dry. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Very velvety texture. Drinkability: A nice saison, albeit a very different kind of saison.

The color of this one is quite nice. It’s a perfectly clear slightly darkened copper. The large head settles down after a couple of minutes to a creamy layer about a quarter finger thick. Very floral aroma, a bit of dark spicing. On closer inspection, there’s vanilla and wood under the bigger floral aroma. The wine-like flavors and aromas are there, but subtle enough that the may not get noticed under all of the other flavors and aromas unless you knew to look for it. In the flavor toward the end, there’s a bit of caramel like the crust of creme brulee. There is a harshness, almost like the creosote flavors I pick up in some beers early on, but it seems to fade the more I drink it while the more interesting and pleasant aspects come out more strongly. A strangely slick mouthfeel.

Tasted at Noogfest 4.0 (2008). This saison pours a pinkish orange gold color from the bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity, floral and sweet, touch of spices. A medium bodied saison. The malts are fruity and sweet. Sort tartness as well. The hops are earthy and spicy. Interesting beer, nice mix of yeasty and spicy. Very clean and crisp tasting. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet and spicy.

Noogfest Four-O

Bottle, courtesy KP. Semi-clear copper pour, some brown highlights, and a fizzy white head and plenty of lacing. Big floral aroma, fruity esters, jasmine, hibiscus and some hops. Bright floral range in the flavors, with some creamy vanilla and flavors with spices and Belgian yeast. Bright touch on the tongue, immensely enjoyable and quite balanced. Very unique and I liked it.

Sampled at Noogfest 08, I believe brought by KP. Pours amber orange with a beige head. Strong perfumy, flower petal- like aroma. The oak and malt profile give this a very chardonnay/ white zin like flavor, but with some slight herbal and Belgian phenols hiding in the background. Unique.